Pandoro is a sweet Italian bread with a deep golden color, traditionally served during Christmas. It originated in Verona and is made with baking powder, eggs, flour, butter, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and sugar. Its unique shape is due to being cooked in a high, ribbed pan. It can be filled with cream or other fillings and topped with glazes or icing. Homemade pandoro requires careful attention to proofing the yeast, and store-bought versions can be dressed up with simple glazes or fillings.
Pandoro or pan d’oro is a sweet Italian bread popularly served during the Christmas season. The name means “golden bread” and is a reference to the deep golden cake that makes up this traditional Italian treat. Many specialty food markets carry bread in December, but it can also be made at home.
According to Italian experts, pandoro was first created in the romantic city of Verona, better known as the home of eternally starred lovers Romeo and Juliet. Bread represented a shift in taste for Italians, who were beginning to favor lighter, fluffier cakes over the dense pastries previously in vogue. There are several conflicting stories about the origin of the bread: some suggest that it actually dates back to ancient Roman bread recipes with similar ingredients, although most modern Pandoro recipes are based on 18th and 19th century versions of the bread.
Pandoro stands out not only for its rich taste and deep golden hue, but also for its curious shape. The bread is cooked in a high, ribbed pan, giving each slice a star-shaped appearance if the bread is cut horizontally. Its association with Christmas may derive from this shape, as it recalls the star followed by the Magi in the biblical story of Christmas. Made in different sizes, traditional Pandoro baking pans are available in many baking supply stores and online.
The basic ingredients of a pandoro include baking powder, eggs, flour, butter, lemon zest, vanilla extract and sugar. Some pandoro are baked in the oven and served with powdered sugar on top, while others include ingredients like dried fruit in the batter. The center of the cake can also be hollowed out and filled with cream or other fillings. It can also be topped with an alcohol-infused glaze or iced using traditional flavors such as almonds, vanilla or aniseed.
Like leavened bread, it’s important to allow a homemade pandoro to rise in a warm environment for a considerable amount of time. Some loaf pans have a maximum height of 10 inches, which means that a flat or shallow loaf can be a disaster. Follow the recipe instructions carefully, and be especially careful when proofing or activating the yeast in hot water. While water that is too cold won’t be enough to activate the yeast, water that is too hot will kill off most of the viable yeast, preventing a rise from occurring.
One of the easiest ways to enjoy pandoro is to buy a store-bought version and dress it up with glazes or filling. Remember that the flavors of this sweet bread are subtle but rich and will generally be overwhelmed by an extremely sweet glaze or heavily flavored filling. Don’t overlook the simple pleasures of a simple version, too. Though less glamorous, this type is excellent for dipping into coffee or tea and is a good substitute for the many powerfully flavored Christmas desserts.
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